The technology of autostereoscopic electronic displays, usually involving flat panels, has advanced to the point where it is now viable for many applications. Dedicated autostereoscopic displays are available but there are computer users who wish to have the ability to move between applications, for example, word processing and stereoscopic visualization applications. These users require a display that can provide a clear image for both autostereoscopic and planar applications. For displays using a lenticular selection device, the problem is that the refractive properties of the lens sheet fragment and/or distort small type and fine detail in the planar mode. Therefore, with the lens sheet remaining in place, the monitor or display cannot be used for important applications such as e-mail, spreadsheets, and word processing.
Many approaches have been considered for solving this problem. For example, consider a display utilizing an overlay such as a lenticular screen. With the lenticular ridges facing inward towards the flat panel surface, a chamber would be created between the flat panel surface and the lenticular ridges to hold a liquid that would be emptied to provide 3-D viewing and filled to defeat the refractive properties of the screen. This technique has been described in co-pending U.S. patent application No. 09/943,890, entitled Autostereoscopic Lenticular Screen.
Next, consider a display having a lenticular overlay in close contact with the flat panel front surface but with the ridges outward facing. To defeat the lenticular refractive characteristics, a mating inverse lenticular screen can be placed atop the lenticular screen in proper alignment so that the second screen will negate the refraction of the original, as described by Eichenlaub in U.S. Pat. No. 5,500,765, entitled Convertible 2D/3D Autostereoscopic Display.
The present disclosure provides a simpler approach by fabricating a removable lenticular screen that is held firmly in precision alignment when placed in juxtaposition with the flat panel in close contact with the display surface.